New here and new pdoc taking me off of meds..

Hi I'm Sherri and 41 years old and live in upper western MD. For 7 years I've been on the same medications but about a year and a half ago started having panic/anxiety episodes some that would last for a month. Well, recently, about two weeks ago I started seeing a new pdoc cause the one I was seeing was very rude and arrogant towards me. Well, this new doctor is basically a part of a mental health service center. The kind where people stay as inpatients for like a week etc. He was the one that I saw seven years ago and I thought I'd give him a try again cause where I live we don't have too many choices. Well, from the first day I saw him two weeks ago he was anxious to start changing things around cause he felt that my episodes were caused because he said that I was/am addicted to the meds I was on and used a few scare tactics to explain it all to me as well. I was taking PaxilCR,Ativan,Neurontin and Seroquel. He immediatly put me on Lexapro(he wants to eventually get me off of all of my meds except for the Lexapro) while I was gradually weening off of the Paxil CR which I don't take anymore. He replaced the Ativan with Klonopin but not as many as I was taking of the Ativan and I still take the Neurontin and the Seroquel cause when he tried to take the Seroquel away for me I started having severe panic,nervousness and tremours(sp?) so he put me back on that. He is middle eastern and somewhat egotistical but nice enough I guess.I'm very afraid of him. Just looking at him scares me. Has anyone here ever had those feelings about their pdoc? For these two weeks sine he did these things with the meds I have had a few horrific panic attacks and have been bedridden and have felt helpless alot of the time. He said that the Paxil was a very hard one to come off of. Anyway, that's my story. If anyone here is in the same situation, Please feel free to email me or contact me somehow. I feel very afraid and need all of the support I can get. I never know what's going to happen from one day to the next. I feel like nobody has it as bad as I do and they don't understand.
Sherri

Hi Sherry,
I'm in central VA, so relatively speaking I'm not so far away.

Here's my take on your situation.

- I firmly believe, that barring a life-threatening emergency, all changes in p-meds should be done gradually, and ONE at a time. My doctors have been in agreement with me.

- I have a nightmare of a time getting off most drugs, and my experience is that it's very unpredictable what I'll feel or think and how long it will take to taper.

- I have learned to keep a little notebook with dates, times, and doses as I taper up and down. I put any unusual, uncomfortable or upsetting feelings along with each dose. I've found it's close to impossible to accurately recall what I felt on which dose, on what day. It helps the doc to help me, also.

- Particularly with you being on a combo of meds, if you change more than one thing at a time no one will be able to tell which drug taper may be causing which symptom.

- Yes, Paxil is one of the meds with a more difficult 'discontinuation syndrome'.

- I don't think you should feel afraid of your pdoc. You said your area has limited resources. Is there another pdoc in the mental health ctr? It's important that you trust your doc, and that he/she listens to you - particularly when you're changing meds, and when you are new. They should be getting to know you in order for you to be able to trust them (yeah, I know easier said than done with pdocs).

I hope something here helps. Take care of yourself. Trust yourself as much as you can.

Mary
ps liked your screen name! I've got 3 dogs and a herd of cats!

I agree that you should be able to communicate with your pdoc & not feel afraid of him or the decisions he is making. I would certainly try to find another competent & compassionate pdoc.--Suzy

Well, Yes, I am very uncomfortable with this doctor. I'm thinking of changing doctors but I am not interested in getting one that works in the same practice.
Animal Lover, I'm a note taker as well. I have 3 cats and 4 birds and NO the cats don't go after the birds lol. I'm an animal lover as well.

Anyway, I'm so scared and afraid I'll be panicky forever and not back to myself again.My system feels so thrown off since the meds were changed over a month ago. The doctor is telling me that I'm doing fine but I'm going by the way that I feel. Please keep me in your prayers and feel free to PM me anytime.